Zhang Hui was born on March 8, 1988, in Bin County, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province. She graduated from Beijing Sport University as a postgraduate student and specializes in short track speed skating. She established her own ice and snow roller skating club to promote ice and snow sports, educate more people about ice and snow sports, and cultivate comprehensive physical and intellectual qualities in young people.

In the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, she won the gold medal in the women's 3000-meter relay in short track speed skating, breaking the world record and ending the 18-year monopoly of the South Korean team in this event. This achievement also secured the only collective gold medal for the Chinese delegation in the Winter Games. She has won a total of 15 gold medals in major competitions and is recognized as an international top athlete. From 2018 to 2020, she served as a coach for the national short track speed skating team.

Zhang Hui has received several honors, including the China National Sports Honor Medal in 2009, the China May Fourth Youth Collective Medal in 2010, the China National Sports Honor Medal in 2010, the China Impacting the World Chinese People Award in 2010, the Best Team in the Sports Arena in 2010, the Model Professional Woman in China in 2010, the China National Sports Honor Medal in 2011, and the Advanced Individual in Ice and Snow Projects for the years 2019 to 2020.

During the 2008-2009 season, she won championships in various competitions including the World Cup Championships in Salt Lake City, Vancouver, Beijing, Nagano, Vienna, and the World Team Championships in Heerenveen, the Netherlands. In the 2009-2010 season, she continued her winning streak in competitions held in Seoul, Montreal, Quebec, Marquette, and the Vancouver Winter Olympics.

In the 2010-2011 season, she continued her success by winning championships in competitions held in Montreal, Quebec, Shanghai, Moscow, Dresden, and the World Championships in Sheffield, UK. In her career in short track speed skating, the 3000-meter relay has never lost to the South Korean team in world championships.

From 2014 to 2015, she was a visiting scholar at the University of Minnesota in the United States, where she gained insights into various sports cultures and differences. During her time in the United States, she also worked as a part-time coach for two short track speed skating clubs.

On April 2, 2010, she was awarded the Sports Honor Medal at the closing and commendation ceremony of the 21st Vancouver Winter Olympics. On December 16, 2010, she was nominated for the ANTA 2010 CCTV Sports Personality of the Year Award, and the Chinese short track speed skating team was nominated for the Best Team of the Year Award.

In 2021, she served as a promoter for the Olympic Stars Green Low-Carbon Campaign and attended the launch ceremony of the 2021 Olympic Expo and the release of the Olympic Legacy Emblem.